Eye viewing device comprising eye cup

ABSTRACT

The invention is a hand-held eye viewing device adapted to be readily positioned in an operative radial displacement, angular orientation and axial standoff position relative to an eye. The eye viewing device includes an eye cup extending from a patient end of the device having a patient end adapted to be received at a patient&#39;s eye orbit. An outer diameter of a patient end of the eye cup is sized to correspond to a patient eye orbit such that a viewing axis is substantially centered on patient&#39;s pupil when the eye cup is received at an eye orbit. The eye cup is preferably made deformable so that patient comfort is improved and further so that contact of the eye cup with an eye orbit alerts a physician that the device is approaching an operative axial standoff position. The eye cup may also be made so that the device pivots about a pivot point toward a patient end of the eye cup such that the angular orientation of the device can be adjusted without disrupting the device&#39;s operative radial displacement and axial standoff positioning. The eye cup further blocks ambient light from impinging on an eye, thereby substantially eliminating a source of external glare. By allowing the device to be stabilized against an eye orbit the eye cup eases the task of maintaining an operative position once an operative position has been achieved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to eye viewing devices in general andspecifically to a hand-held eye viewing device that is adapted to bereadily moved into an operative position relative to a patient's eye.

[0003] 2. Background of the Prior Art

[0004] Many types of eye viewing devices require a certain positioningrelative to a patient for proper operation. Retinal viewingophthalmoscopes, in particular should be positioned at a certain radialdisplacement, angular orientation and axial standoff position relativeto a patient's eye for proper operation. The task of moving a retinalviewing ophthalmoscope into an operative position relative to an eye isparticularly challenging given that in order to provide viewing ofdifferent areas of a retina, such devices should be moved betweenvarious angular orientations relative to an eye while maintainingcertain radial displacement and axial standoff positions.

[0005] The positioning of commercially available hand-held eye viewingdevices is customarily controlled entirely by the hand-eye coordinationof a physician. During use of a known retinal viewing ophthalmoscope,for example, a physician manually moves the device into an operativeposition depending upon the image of the retina generated by thedevice's viewing system at the physician's retina.

[0006] Limitations have been observed with this method of positioning aneye viewing device. First, physicians using certain commerciallyavailable eye viewing devices have faced difficulty in positioning suchdevices in an operative position. The difficulty faced in achieving anoperative position varies depending upon the particular eye viewingdevice. It is particularly challenging to position retinal viewingophthalmoscopes relative to an eye since light rays of both theillumination and imaging system of such devices must pass through apatient's pupil.

[0007] In general, the more challenging the task of achieving anoperative position, the more difficult the task is of maintaining thatoperative position once it has been achieved. An operative position ofcertain eye viewing devices can be lost, for example, with smalldisturbances in the radial displacement position of the device relativeto an eye.

[0008] There is a need for an eye viewing device which is adapted to bereadily positioned in a desired radial displacement, angular orientationand axial standoff position relative to a patient, and which is adaptedto be readily maintained in that desired radial displacement, angularorientation and axial standoff position once that position is attained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] According to its major aspects and broadly stated the inventionis an eye viewing device adapted to be readily positioned in anoperative position relative to an eye.

[0010] An eye viewing device according to the invention includes an eyecup having patient end adapted to be received at an eye orbit of apatient. In one aspect of the invention, the outer diameter of thepatient end of the eye cup is sized to correspond to a patient's eyeorbit. Because a center of a patient eye is located substantially at thecenter of an eye orbit, the sizing of the patient end outer diametercorresponding to an eye orbit operates to aid in the radial displacementpositioning of the device.

[0011] In another aspect, the eye cup is made deformable so that contactof the eye cup with a patient alerts a physician that the device isapproaching an operative axial standoff position. Making the eye cupdeformable also enhances patient comfort.

[0012] In yet another aspect of the invention, the eye cup is made sothat the eye viewing device can pivot about a pivot point near thepatient end of the eye cup to allow adjustment of the eye viewingdevice's angular orientation position relative to an eye to visualizevarious areas of the retina. Forming the eye cup so that the eye viewingdevice pivots about a pivot point toward the eye cup's patient endallows adjustment of an eye viewing devices's angular orientationwithout substantial disruption of the positioning of the device'sillumination and viewing axes relative to a pupil center (i.e., withoutdisruption of the radial position) and therefore without movement of thedevice from an operative position.

[0013] In addition to aiding in the positioning of an eye viewing devicerelative to a patient, the eye cup prevents ambient light rays fromreaching a patient's eye, thereby substantially eliminating sources ofexternal glare. Furthermore, because the eye cup allows the eye viewingdevice to be stabilized against an eye orbit during eye viewing, the eyecup eases the task of maintaining an operative viewing position aftersuch an operative position is achieved.

[0014] These and other details, advantages and benefits of the presentinvention will become apparent from the detailed description of thepreferred embodiment hereinbelow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of theinvention, references should be made to the following detaileddescription of a preferred mode of practicing the invention, read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an eye cup-equipped eye viewingdevice as seen in use;

[0017]FIG. 1B is another perspective view of an eye viewing deviceaccording to the invention;

[0018]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an eye cup according to theinvention;

[0019]FIG. 2B is a top view of an eye cup according to the invention;

[0020]FIG. 2C is a bottom view of an eye cup according to the invention;

[0021]FIG. 2D is a side view of an eye cup according to the invention;

[0022]FIG. 2E is a cross-sectional side view of an eye cup according tothe invention;

[0023]FIG. 2F is a side view of an eye cup according to the invention ina deformed, or compressed configuration.

[0024]FIG. 2G is a side view of an eye cup with a change of angularorientation according to the invention;

[0025]FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a conical illumination eyeviewing device at a first axial standoff position relative to an eye asexists during the entry process;

[0026]FIG. 3B in a diagram illustrating a conical illumination eyeviewing device at a second axial standoff position relative to an eye,typical of an operative position;

[0027]FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a device housing patient end;

[0028]FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional side view of a magnifier lensassembly engaged in a device housing;

[0029]FIG. 4C is a perspective view of a magnifier assembly attachmentor filter assembly attachment according to the invention;

[0030]FIG. 4D is a perspective view of an otoscope attachment accordingto the invention;

[0031]FIG. 4E is a perspective view of an episcope attachment accordingto the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The task of moving an eye viewing device into an operativeposition relative to a patient's eye is a challenging one for certaintypes of eye viewing devices. Retinal viewing ophthalmoscopes, inparticular, must be positioned at specific radial displacement and axialstandoff positions relative to a patient's eye in order to achieveoperative illumination and imaging of a retina. Retinal viewingophthalmoscopes also must be positioned at a specific angularorientation relative to an eye to allow viewing of a particular area ofa retina not observable in the central view.

[0033] The term “radial displacement” herein refers to the radialdistance between a patient's pupil center and an imaging axis, a_(i), ofdevice 10. The term “angular orientation” herein refers to the angleformed between the imaging axis of device 10 and the axis of a patient'spupil, while the term “axial standoff” herein refers to the spacingbetween device 10 and a patient's eye along the imaging axis, a_(i).

[0034] An eye viewing device adapted to be readily positioned in adesired radial displacement, angular orientation and axial standoffposition relative to a patient's eye is described with reference toFIGS. 1A-3C. As seen in FIG. 1A, device 10 includes a housing 12 whichcomprises patient end 14, a physician or observer end 16, and a handle18. According to the invention, patient end 14 has disposed thereon aneye cup 20 which as will be explained herein is useful in achievingproper radial displacement, angular orientation, and axial offsetpositioning of device 10 relative to a patient's eye.

[0035] In use, a physician moves device 10 toward a patient's eye orbit25 until bottom surface 26 (FIG. 1B) of patient end 22 of eye cup 20 issubstantially in contact with an eye orbit 25 of a patient. When device10 is a retinal viewing ophthalmoscope, a physician during the course ofmoving device 10 into an operative position, further attempts toposition the device such that a “spot” retinal image (known as the “redreflex” image) is continuously generated by the device's viewing system.

[0036] Referring to one aspect of the invention, the outer diameter ODof eye cup patient end 22 should be sized to substantially correspond toan eye orbit 25 of a patient (FIG. 1A). Because a patient's pupil 32(FIG. 3A) is located substantially at a center of an eye orbit, contactwith an eye orbit 25 of an eye cup having an outer diametersubstantially corresponding to orbit 25 radially places device 10 suchthat the axis, a_(c), (FIG. 2F) of eye cup 20 at patient end 22 passessubstantially through a center of a patient's pupil. Because eye cup 20is normally disposed on housing 12 such that eye cup axis, a_(c),substantially coincides with the imaging axis, a_(i), of device 10,contact of eye cup 20 with an eye orbit operates to align the device'simaging axis with a patient's pupil (i.e. with minimal radialdisplacement).

[0037] In another aspect of the invention, eye cup 20 is configured tohave an exposed length L, as seen in FIG. 2D, such that contact of cup20 with an eye orbit alerts a physician that device 10 is approaching oris at a proper axial standoff position from a patient's eye.

[0038] For use with certain eye viewing devices (such as corneal viewingdevices or dilated-pupil retinal viewing devices) eye cup 20 can besubstantially rigid such that the proper axial standoff position of adevice relative to an eye is achieved when eye cup 20 first comes incontact with orbit 25. However, for use with certain eye viewing devicesthat require relatively precise spacing of device 10 to an eye it ispreferred that eye cup 20 is made deformable. When eye cup 20 isconfigured to be deformable, contact of eye cup 20 with an eye orbit 25alerts a physician that the device is approaching a proper axialstandoff position. An operative axial standoff position of device havinga deformable eye cup is achieved when eye cup 20 is in a deformedconfiguration, as is shown in FIGS. 2F and 2G. Making eye cup 20deformable adapts the eye cup for variations in eye configurationsbetween eyes of different patients and increases patient comfort. Eyecup 20 can be made deformable by configuring eye cup 20 in a bellowsconfiguration as is indicated in FIGS. 1A-2G and which will be describedin greater detail hereinbelow.

[0039] Axial standoff positioning between an eye viewing device 10 andan eye must be substantially precise in retinal viewing devices havingconical illumination as can be seen by comparison of FIGS. 3A and 3B.Conical illumination systems generate a cone of light having light raysthat converge at an apex and diverge thereafter. FIG. 3A shows a cone oflight illumination in which apex, ax, of the cone of light 34 is spacelyapart from a pupil 32 while FIG. 3B shows a cone of light illuminationin which apex, ax, of cone of light 34 is positioned at a pupil 32.Comparing to FIGS. 3A and 3B it can be seen that illumination of aretina illuminated by a conical illumination system improves when apex,ax, of the conical illumination is substantially positioned at a pupil.In the specific embodiment of the deformable configured eye cup shown inFIGS. 1A-3G, apex, ax, of cone of light 34 is at a position forward ofpupil 32, indicated in FIG. 3A when eye cup 20 first contacts an eyeorbit 25, and at a position substantially within pupil 32 when eye cup20 is in an operative deformed configuration. Examples of retinalviewing ophthalmoscopes having conical illumination systems aredescribed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,837, application Ser.No. 09/198,545, and concurrently filed application Ser. No. 09/444,161entitled “Eye Viewing Device for Retinal Viewing through UndilatedPupil,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0040] Referring to further aspects of eye cup 20, eye cup 20 preferablyis adapted to allow device 10 to be readily positioned at varyingangular orientations relative to an eye. It is common to adjust thefield of view of many types of eye viewing devices by adjusting thedevice's angular orientation relative to an eye 27 (FIG. 3A). Forexample, different regions of a retina 33 can be viewed through a pupilwith a retinal viewing ophthalmoscope by adjusting the angularorientation of the ophthalmoscope while maintaining the imaging axis ofthe device in a position substantially centered in a pupil 32.

[0041] Eye cup 20 can be made to allow adjustment of device angularorientation relative to an eye by configuring eye cup 20 such thatdevice 10 can be pivoted about a point, P, on eye cup axis, a_(c). Asindicated in FIGS. 2F and 2G, eye cup 20 can be made so that device 10is moveable between a first configuration indicated in FIG. 2F in whichthe axis, a_(c), of eye cup 20 substantially coincides with the imagingaxis, a_(i), of device throughout the length of eye cup 20 and a secondconfiguration indicated in FIG. 2G in which eye cup axis, a_(c), ispivoted about a pivot point P.

[0042] The imaging system of a retinal viewing ophthalmoscope generatesa retinal image when the device's imaging axis, a_(i), passes through apatient's pupil 32. Eye cup 20 is disposed on housing 12 so that eye cupaxis, a_(c), toward eye cup upper end 23 substantially coincides withthe device's imaging axis, a_(i). Accordingly, it can be seen thatconfiguring eye cup 20 so that device 10 pivots about a pivot point, P,proximate a pupil 32, allows retinal imaging to be maintained throughoutthe moving of the ophthalmoscope from an angular orientation positionnormal to a pupil 32 to a position oblique relative the pupil.

[0043] The bellows-configured eye cup described with reference to FIGS.2A-2G can be made to pivot at a pivot point proximate a pupil 32 byconfiguring eye cup 20 to have proportionately thinner material at thebellows sections toward patient end 22 of eye cup 20. As seen in thecross-sectional view of FIG. 2E, the walls of eye cup 20 are formedgradually thinner toward patient end 22 to produce pivoting towardpatient end 22. First bellows section 41 has a smaller thickness thansecond bellows section 42 which has a smaller thickness than thirdbellows section 43. The walls of the third bellows 47 are substantiallythicker than the walls of the first and second bellows 45, and 46. Theconfiguration shown in FIG. 2e provides an eye cup which pivotssubstantially toward patient end 22 when eye cup 20 is in an axiallydeformed or compressed configuration and the device is moved angularly.

[0044] Referring to a still further aspect of the invention, eye cup 20should be made substantially opaque so that eye cup 20 substantiallyblocks ambient light rays from reaching a patient's eye. By blockingambient light rays, eye cup 20 operates to substantially eliminate thissource of external glare.

[0045] Further, referring to FIG. 1a showing a device according to theinvention in use, it can be seen that eye cup 20 allows device 10 to bestabilized against a patient's eye orbit during eye viewing.Accordingly, in addition to aiding the task of positioning device 10 inan operative position, eye cup 20 eases the task of maintaining anoperative position once an operative position has been achieved.

[0046] Additional specific structural details of a preferred embodimentof eye cup 20 are described with reference again to FIGS. 2A-2H. Bottomsurface 26 of cup 20, which is the patient contact surface, preferablydefines a flange configuration as is best seen by bottom view FIG. 2C.The flange-shaped bottom surface enhances patient comfort and, byproviding for substantial contact of cup 20 with eye orbit 25,encourages radial stabilization of eye cup 20 on eye orbit 25. Whilebottom surface 26 is substantially circular, it is contemplated that thebottom surface 26 can be configured in other configurations, includingconfigurations that more precisely approximate the actual shape of apatient's eye orbit.

[0047] While eye cup outer diameter OD is sized to correspond to an eyeorbit as explained previously, inner diameter ID of cup 20 is sized soas not to substantially interfere with a patient's eyelashes duringblinking or to interfere with the illumination and imaging performanceof the eye viewing device. Eye cup 20 can have an outer diameter ofbetween about 35 mm and 55 mm and an inner diameter of between about 20mm and about 40 mm. In the embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2H eye cup 20 has anouter diameter of about 45 mm and an inner diameter of about 32 mm atbottom surface 26.

[0048] Eye cup 20 may be made from moldable elastomeric or plasticmaterial that is biocompatible, cleanable, sterilizable, and of lowdurometer. A preferred material for eye cup 20 is silicone.

[0049] In the particular embodiment of FIGS. 2A-2G, eye cup 20 includesa top connector section 48 as best seen in FIG. 2A, which adapts eye cup20 to be detachably attached to an eye viewing device housing 12.Preferably, eye cup 20 is made to be detachably held in place in housing12 ribs that deform during engagement with or disengagement from, thehousing. In the specific embodiment shown, top connector section 48includes ribs 53 adapted to be received in complementarily formed lip 54of housing 12, as seen in FIG. 4A. Lip 54 may be part of a noseinterface 55 forming patient end 14 of housing 12. Nose interface 55 maycomprise a relatively stiff elastomeric material. When nose interface 55comprises resilient elastomeric material, attachments received in lip 54can be formed from either a flexible material or from a substantiallyrigid material such as metal or plastic. As alluded to previously, eyecup 20 should be formed so that upper end 23 (FIG. 2E) of eye cup 20 isheld substantially stable in housing 12 toward upper end 23 but pivotsreadily about a pivot point, P (FIG. 2G), along axis, a_(c), towardpatient end 22.

[0050] Other attachments may be detachably attached to housing 12. Forexample, shown in FIG. 4B is a magnifier lens assembly 60 which may bedetachably attached to housing 12 in the manner of eye cup 20. Withproper sizing of the lens or lenses of assembly 60, attaching magnifierlens assembly 60 to housing 12 allows device 10 to be used as a corneaviewing device. Other attachments which may be detachably attached tohousing 12 in substantially the manner of eye cup 20 or magnifier lensassembly 60 includes optical filter attachments, otoscope attachments,and episcope attachments. A filter assembly attachment for attachment tohousing 12 may comprise the general configuration of assembly 60 as showin FIG. 4C. An exemplary otoscope assembly attachment 62 is shown inFIG. 4D while an exemplary episcope assembly attachment 64 is shown inFIG. 4E. The above assembly attachments 60, 62, 64 have ribs 53,allowing attachments to be detachably received by housing 12 insubstantially the manner of eye cup 20.

[0051] While the present invention has been explained with reference tothe structure disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details setforth and this invention is intended to cover any modifications andchanges as may come within the scope of the following claims:

1. An eye viewing device comprising: a housing having a patient end andan observer end; and an eye cup disposed at said patient end.
 2. The eyeviewing device of claim 1, wherein a patient end of said eye cup issized to substantially correspond to an eye orbit of a patient.
 3. Theeye viewing device of claim 1, wherein a patient end of said eye cupcomprises a flange configured bottom surface sized to substantiallycorrespond to an eye orbit of a patient.
 4. The eye viewing device ofclaim 1, wherein a patient end of said eye cup comprises a flangeconfigured bottom surface sized to substantially correspond to an eyeorbit of a patient, and is interior sized to accommodate a patient'seyelashes.
 5. The eye viewing device of claim 1, wherein said eye cup isdeformable so that contact of said eye cup with an aye orbit alerts saidobserver that said device is approaching an operative position.
 6. Theeye viewing device of claim 1, wherein said eye cup comprises aplurality of deformable bellows.
 7. The eye viewing device of claim 1,wherein said eye cup includes an axis, and is adapted to pivotsubstantially about a patient end of said eye cup on said axis.
 8. Theeye viewing device of claim 1, wherein said eye cup is adapted to pivotsubstantially about a patient's pupil when said device is in anoperative position.
 9. The eye viewing device of claim 1, wherein saideye cup comprises a plurality of bellows wherein walls of said bellowsare formed progressively thinner toward said patient end of said eye cupso that pivoting occurs substantially toward a patient end of said eyecup.
 10. The eye viewing device of claim 1, wherein said eye cupcomprises a plurality of bellows, wherein walls of said bellows areformed progressively thinner toward said a patient end of said eye cupso that pivoting occurs substantially about a patient's pupil when saiddevice is in an operative position.
 11. The eye viewing device of claim1, wherein said eye cup is detachably attachable to said eye viewingdevice.
 12. The eye viewing device of claim 1, wherein said eye cup isformed substantially opaque so that said eye cup substantially preventsambient light rays from reaching a patient's eye.
 13. An apparatus foraiding in the positioning of an eye viewing device relative to apatient, said apparatus comprising: a device end adapted to be attachedto a patient end of said eye viewing device; and a patient end adaptedto be received at an eye orbit of said patient.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 13, wherein a patient end of said apparatus is sized tosubstantially correspond to an eye orbit of a patient.
 15. The apparatusof claim 13, wherein a patient end of said apparatus comprises a flangeconfigured bottom surface sized to substantially correspond to an eyeorbit of a patient.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a patient endof said apparatus comprises a flange configured bottom surface sized tosubstantially correspond to an eye orbit of a patient, and in interiorsized to accommodate a patient's eyelashes.
 17. The apparatus of claim13, wherein said apparatus is deformable so that contact of saidapparatus with an eye orbit alerts an operator that said device isapproaching an operative position.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein said apparatus comprises a plurality of deformable bellows. 19.The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said apparatus includes an axis, andis adapted to pivot substantially about said patient end of saidapparatus.
 20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said apparatus isadapted to pivot about a pivot point defined substantially about apatient's pupil when said device is in an operative position.
 21. Theapparatus of claim 13, wherein said apparatus comprises a plurality ofbellows wherein walls of said bellows are formed progressively thinnertoward said patient end of said apparatus so that a pivot point isdefined substantially toward a patient end of said apparatus.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 13, wherein said eye cup comprises a plurality ofbellows, wherein walls of said bellows are formed progressively thinnertoward said patient end of said apparatus so that a pivot point of saidapparatus is defined substantially about a patient's pupil when saiddevice is in an operative position.
 23. The apparatus of claim 13,wherein said apparatus is detachably attachable to an eye viewingdevice.
 24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said apparatus is formedsubstantially opaque so that said apparatus substantially preventsambient light rays from reaching a patient's eye.
 25. A method forpositioning an eye viewing device in an operative position relative to apatient, said eye viewing device having a patient end, said methodcomprising the steps of: providing a spacer on said patient end of saideye viewing device; and moving said device toward said patient at leastuntil said spacer contacts said patient.
 26. The method of claim 25,wherein said providing step includes the step of providing a deformablespacer on said patient end so that contact of said spacer with saidpatient alerts an operator that said eye viewing device is approachingan operative position.
 27. The method of claim 25, wherein saidproviding step includes the step of providing a spacer configured tocorrespond to an eye orbit on said patient end so that substantialcontact of said spacer with said eye orbit radially positions said eyeviewing device so that said device is substantially aligned with apatient's pupil.
 28. The method of claim 25, wherein said providing stepincludes the step of providing a spacer configured to pivot toward apatient end of said spacer so that said spacer facilitates angularadjustment of said device while an operative position is maintained. 29.A medical viewing device comprising: a housing having an operator endand a patient end; an attachment interface formed at said patient endadapted to detachably receive an attachment; and an attachment disposedin said attachment interface.
 30. The device of claim 29, wherein saidattachment interface comprises a lip, and wherein said attachmentcomprises at least one rib.
 31. The device of claim 29, wherein saidattachment comprises an eye cup.
 32. The device of claim 29, whereinsaid attachment comprises an otoscope.
 33. The device of claim 29,wherein said attachment comprises an episcope.
 34. The device of claim29, wherein said attachment comprises a corneal viewing lens assembly.35. The device of claim 29, wherein said attachment comprises amagnifier lens assembly.
 36. The device of claim 29, where saidattachment is a filter assembly.